Philippines: Skills become a challenge

The Philippines will have to invest “heavily” on human capital in the years to come to meet its expected rapid growth figures, the Deputy Director of the National Economic and Development Authority Emmanuel F. Esguerra was quoted as saying by the Philippine Star on January 14.

Esguerra said that the lack of workers with appropriate skills was a major challenge. He added that this was evident in industries that are knowledge-intensive and require a high degree of functional flexibility.

According to the country’s National Statistics Office, 48 per cent of the population who are willing to work are aged 15-34 years old.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Employment Statistics suggests that the top three hard to fill vacancies among professionals including accountants and auditors, electronics and communications engineers, as well as systems analysts and designers.

The bureau said that the top 3 reasons why vacancies are hard to fill were that applicants lack needed competency or skills, applicants expect a high salary and applicants lack years of experience.

Interestingly, data shows that college graduates comprised at least 18 per cent of the total unemployed, the third highest share in terms of educational attainment from 2006 to 2011. Most of the unemployed college graduates are those who earned degrees on medical courses, trade, craft and industrial programmes and engineering and architectural programmes.

The Philippines government is now implementing measures to help enhance the educational level. For example, it rolled out the K to 12 Basic Education Programme that aims to produce “holistically developed learners with 21st century skills who are prepared for higher education, middle-level skills development, and immediate employment or entrepreneurship.”

The Philippines will have to invest “heavily” on human capital in the years to come to meet its expected rapid growth figures, the Deputy Director of the National Economic and Development Authority Emmanuel F. Esguerra was quoted as saying by the Philippine Star on January 14.

Esguerra said that the lack of workers with appropriate skills was a major challenge. He added that this was evident in industries that are knowledge-intensive and require a high degree of functional flexibility.

According to the country’s National Statistics Office, 48 per cent of the population who are willing to work are aged 15-34 years old.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Employment Statistics suggests that the top three hard to fill vacancies among professionals including accountants and auditors, electronics and communications engineers, as well as systems analysts and designers.

The bureau said that the top 3 reasons why vacancies are hard to fill were that applicants lack needed competency or skills, applicants expect a high salary and applicants lack years of experience.

Interestingly, data shows that college graduates comprised at least 18 per cent of the total unemployed, the third highest share in terms of educational attainment from 2006 to 2011. Most of the unemployed college graduates are those who earned degrees on medical courses, trade, craft and industrial programmes and engineering and architectural programmes.

The Philippines government is now implementing measures to help enhance the educational level. For example, it rolled out the K to 12 Basic Education Programme that aims to produce “holistically developed learners with 21st century skills who are prepared for higher education, middle-level skills development, and immediate employment or entrepreneurship.”